diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index dba5db68ecd60455024d7b680ca1c00a12326cb6..a95c32d32826a5642eb1d4fbbc92da2e86442932 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -8388,7 +8388,7 @@ qemuDomainDefCopy(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     virDomainDefPtr ret = NULL;
     char *xml;
 
-    if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, src, flags)))
+    if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, qemuCaps, src, flags)))
         return NULL;
 
     ret = qemuDomainDefFromXML(driver, qemuCaps, xml);
@@ -8400,6 +8400,7 @@ qemuDomainDefCopy(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
 static int
 qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                               virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                                virDomainDefPtr def,
                                virCPUDefPtr origCPU,
                                unsigned int flags,
@@ -8408,7 +8409,6 @@ qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     int ret = -1;
     virDomainDefPtr copy = NULL;
     virCapsPtr caps = NULL;
-    virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps = NULL;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_XML_COMMON_FLAGS | VIR_DOMAIN_XML_UPDATE_CPU, -1);
 
@@ -8418,7 +8418,7 @@ qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     if (!(flags & (VIR_DOMAIN_XML_UPDATE_CPU | VIR_DOMAIN_XML_MIGRATABLE)))
         goto format;
 
-    if (!(copy = virDomainDefCopy(def, caps, driver->xmlopt, NULL,
+    if (!(copy = virDomainDefCopy(def, caps, driver->xmlopt, qemuCaps,
                                   flags & VIR_DOMAIN_XML_MIGRATABLE)))
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -8429,13 +8429,19 @@ qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
         def->cpu &&
         (def->cpu->mode != VIR_CPU_MODE_CUSTOM ||
          def->cpu->model)) {
-        if (!(qemuCaps = virQEMUCapsCacheLookupCopy(driver->qemuCapsCache,
-                                                    def->emulator,
-                                                    def->os.machine)))
-            goto cleanup;
+        VIR_AUTOUNREF(virQEMUCapsPtr) qCaps = NULL;
+
+        if (qemuCaps) {
+            qCaps = virObjectRef(qemuCaps);
+        } else {
+            if (!(qCaps = virQEMUCapsCacheLookupCopy(driver->qemuCapsCache,
+                                                     def->emulator,
+                                                     def->os.machine)))
+                goto cleanup;
+        }
 
         if (virCPUUpdate(def->os.arch, def->cpu,
-                         virQEMUCapsGetHostModel(qemuCaps, def->virtType,
+                         virQEMUCapsGetHostModel(qCaps, def->virtType,
                                                  VIR_QEMU_CAPS_HOST_CPU_MIGRATABLE)) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -8584,30 +8590,31 @@ qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
  cleanup:
     virDomainDefFree(copy);
     virObjectUnref(caps);
-    virObjectUnref(qemuCaps);
     return ret;
 }
 
 
 int
 qemuDomainDefFormatBuf(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                       virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                        virDomainDefPtr def,
                        unsigned int flags,
                        virBufferPtr buf)
 {
-    return qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(driver, def, NULL, flags, buf);
+    return qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(driver, qemuCaps, def, NULL, flags, buf);
 }
 
 
 static char *
 qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                               virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                                virDomainDefPtr def,
                                virCPUDefPtr origCPU,
                                unsigned int flags)
 {
     virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
-    if (qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(driver, def, origCPU, flags, &buf) < 0)
+    if (qemuDomainDefFormatBufInternal(driver, qemuCaps, def, origCPU, flags, &buf) < 0)
         return NULL;
 
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
@@ -8616,10 +8623,11 @@ qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
 char *
 qemuDomainDefFormatXML(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                       virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                        virDomainDefPtr def,
                        unsigned int flags)
 {
-    return qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(driver, def, NULL, flags);
+    return qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(driver, qemuCaps, def, NULL, flags);
 }
 
 
@@ -8638,11 +8646,12 @@ char *qemuDomainFormatXML(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
         origCPU = priv->origCPU;
     }
 
-    return qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(driver, def, origCPU, flags);
+    return qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(driver, priv->qemuCaps, def, origCPU, flags);
 }
 
 char *
 qemuDomainDefFormatLive(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                        virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                         virDomainDefPtr def,
                         virCPUDefPtr origCPU,
                         bool inactive,
@@ -8655,7 +8664,7 @@ qemuDomainDefFormatLive(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     if (compatible)
         flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_XML_MIGRATABLE;
 
-    return qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(driver, def, origCPU, flags);
+    return qemuDomainDefFormatXMLInternal(driver, qemuCaps, def, origCPU, flags);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
index 94ff6e7bd3bd99c1cef091f03fdb70ace9bcd7ba..2ba51929db9018ebfd39cb704ce6579f7cdbd308 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
@@ -654,11 +654,13 @@ virDomainDefPtr qemuDomainDefCopy(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
                                   unsigned int flags);
 
 int qemuDomainDefFormatBuf(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                           virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                            virDomainDefPtr vm,
                            unsigned int flags,
                            virBuffer *buf);
 
 char *qemuDomainDefFormatXML(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                             virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                              virDomainDefPtr vm,
                              unsigned int flags);
 
@@ -667,6 +669,7 @@ char *qemuDomainFormatXML(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
                           unsigned int flags);
 
 char *qemuDomainDefFormatLive(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                              virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                               virDomainDefPtr def,
                               virCPUDefPtr origCPU,
                               bool inactive,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 4d6a9332436a011d84f19b7ed0b1d1342a47d543..75d6b3a9527f25c87e8060f673e882ae0e0e7e90 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -3446,9 +3446,10 @@ qemuDomainSaveInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
             virDomainDefFree(def);
             goto endjob;
         }
-        xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, def, NULL, true, true);
+        xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, priv->qemuCaps, def, NULL, true, true);
     } else {
-        xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, vm->def, priv->origCPU, true, true);
+        xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, priv->qemuCaps, vm->def,
+                                      priv->origCPU, true, true);
     }
     if (!xml) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
@@ -7231,7 +7232,7 @@ qemuDomainSaveImageGetXMLDesc(virConnectPtr conn, const char *path,
     if (virDomainSaveImageGetXMLDescEnsureACL(conn, def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    ret = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, def, flags);
+    ret = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, NULL, def, flags);
 
  cleanup:
     virQEMUSaveDataFree(data);
@@ -7284,7 +7285,7 @@ qemuDomainSaveImageDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *path,
 
     VIR_FREE(data->xml);
 
-    if (!(data->xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, newdef,
+    if (!(data->xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, NULL, newdef,
                                              VIR_DOMAIN_XML_INACTIVE |
                                              VIR_DOMAIN_XML_SECURE |
                                              VIR_DOMAIN_XML_MIGRATABLE)))
@@ -7323,12 +7324,15 @@ qemuDomainManagedSaveGetXMLDesc(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     virDomainDefPtr def = NULL;
     int fd = -1;
     virQEMUSaveDataPtr data = NULL;
+    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_SAVE_IMAGE_XML_SECURE, NULL);
 
     if (!(vm = qemuDomObjFromDomain(dom)))
         return ret;
 
+    priv = vm->privateData;
+
     if (virDomainManagedSaveGetXMLDescEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def, flags) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -7345,7 +7349,7 @@ qemuDomainManagedSaveGetXMLDesc(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
                                       false, NULL, false, false)) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    ret = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, def, flags);
+    ret = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, priv->qemuCaps, def, flags);
 
  cleanup:
     virQEMUSaveDataFree(data);
@@ -15639,7 +15643,8 @@ qemuDomainSnapshotCreateActiveExternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
                                                     "snapshot", false)) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
 
-        if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, vm->def, priv->origCPU,
+        if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, priv->qemuCaps,
+                                            vm->def, priv->origCPU,
                                             true, true)) ||
             !(snapdef->cookie = (virObjectPtr) qemuDomainSaveCookieNew(vm)))
             goto cleanup;
@@ -15897,7 +15902,8 @@ qemuDomainSnapshotCreateXML(virDomainPtr domain,
     } else {
         /* Easiest way to clone inactive portion of vm->def is via
          * conversion in and back out of xml.  */
-        if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, vm->def, priv->origCPU,
+        if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, priv->qemuCaps,
+                                            vm->def, priv->origCPU,
                                             true, true)) ||
             !(def->parent.dom = virDomainDefParseString(xml, caps, driver->xmlopt, NULL,
                                                         VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_INACTIVE |
@@ -16997,7 +17003,8 @@ qemuDomainCheckpointPrepare(virQEMUDriverPtr driver, virCapsPtr caps,
 
     /* Easiest way to clone inactive portion of vm->def is via
      * conversion in and back out of xml.  */
-    if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, vm->def, priv->origCPU,
+    if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, priv->qemuCaps,
+                                        vm->def, priv->origCPU,
                                         true, true)) ||
         !(def->parent.dom = virDomainDefParseString(xml, caps, driver->xmlopt, NULL,
                                                     VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_INACTIVE |
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
index ec1cae8beca39d26aaf19fe1a80b3d9774089d39..39e574ee3031e73bd25db2417a3bc146a0293943 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
@@ -2083,9 +2083,9 @@ qemuMigrationSrcBeginPhase(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
         if (!qemuDomainCheckABIStability(driver, vm, def))
             goto cleanup;
 
-        rv = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, def, NULL, false, true);
+        rv = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, priv->qemuCaps, def, NULL, false, true);
     } else {
-        rv = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, vm->def, priv->origCPU,
+        rv = qemuDomainDefFormatLive(driver, priv->qemuCaps, vm->def, priv->origCPU,
                                      false, true);
     }
 
@@ -2355,7 +2355,7 @@ qemuMigrationDstPrepareAny(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
         char *xml;
         int hookret;
 
-        if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, *def,
+        if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, NULL, *def,
                                            VIR_DOMAIN_XML_SECURE |
                                            VIR_DOMAIN_XML_MIGRATABLE)))
             goto cleanup;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c
index 74b8575a91007891a7e8bfd73adfb28b5eaaad64..74a12d1b0353dfa648ff4715ee42085ac9108dcc 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c
@@ -781,6 +781,7 @@ qemuMigrationCookieCapsXMLFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
 
 static int
 qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormat(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                             virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                              virBufferPtr buf,
                              qemuMigrationCookiePtr mig)
 {
@@ -822,6 +823,7 @@ qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormat(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     if ((mig->flags & QEMU_MIGRATION_COOKIE_PERSISTENT) &&
         mig->persistent) {
         if (qemuDomainDefFormatBuf(driver,
+                                   qemuCaps,
                                    mig->persistent,
                                    VIR_DOMAIN_XML_INACTIVE |
                                    VIR_DOMAIN_XML_SECURE |
@@ -873,11 +875,12 @@ qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormat(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
 static char *
 qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormatStr(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                                virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                                 qemuMigrationCookiePtr mig)
 {
     virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
-    if (qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormat(driver, &buf, mig) < 0) {
+    if (qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormat(driver, qemuCaps, &buf, mig) < 0) {
         virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -1419,6 +1422,8 @@ qemuMigrationBakeCookie(qemuMigrationCookiePtr mig,
                         int *cookieoutlen,
                         unsigned int flags)
 {
+    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = dom->privateData;
+
     if (!cookieout || !cookieoutlen)
         return 0;
 
@@ -1462,7 +1467,7 @@ qemuMigrationBakeCookie(qemuMigrationCookiePtr mig,
         qemuMigrationCookieAddCaps(mig, dom, party) < 0)
         return -1;
 
-    if (!(*cookieout = qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormatStr(driver, mig)))
+    if (!(*cookieout = qemuMigrationCookieXMLFormatStr(driver, priv->qemuCaps, mig)))
         return -1;
 
     *cookieoutlen = strlen(*cookieout) + 1;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index 1ed56457b186f1a2522d492f2c29e9536b72f1af..9345ecf1beeb94902fd20a916a4f37418f1bf4b0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -4644,13 +4644,14 @@ qemuProcessStartHook(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
                      virHookQemuOpType op,
                      virHookSubopType subop)
 {
+    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
     char *xml;
     int ret;
 
     if (!virHookPresent(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU))
         return 0;
 
-    if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, vm->def, 0)))
+    if (!(xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, priv->qemuCaps, vm->def, 0)))
         return -1;
 
     ret = virHookCall(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU, vm->def->name, op, subop,
@@ -7482,7 +7483,7 @@ void qemuProcessStop(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
     /* now that we know it's stopped call the hook if present */
     if (virHookPresent(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU)) {
-        char *xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, vm->def, 0);
+        char *xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, NULL, vm->def, 0);
 
         /* we can't stop the operation even if the script raised an error */
         ignore_value(virHookCall(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU, vm->def->name,
@@ -7658,7 +7659,7 @@ void qemuProcessStop(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
     /* The "release" hook cleans up additional resources */
     if (virHookPresent(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU)) {
-        char *xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, vm->def, 0);
+        char *xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, NULL, vm->def, 0);
 
         /* we can't stop the operation even if the script raised an error */
         virHookCall(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU, vm->def->name,
@@ -8220,7 +8221,7 @@ qemuProcessReconnect(void *opaque)
 
     /* Run an hook to allow admins to do some magic */
     if (virHookPresent(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU)) {
-        char *xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, obj->def, 0);
+        char *xml = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, priv->qemuCaps, obj->def, 0);
         int hookret;
 
         hookret = virHookCall(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU, obj->def->name,